According to the Vallejo Times Herald, Martinez may soon join the numerous other Bay Area communities that have banned single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam food takeout containers.

The Martinez City Council will take up the issue at its meeting on Wednesday; the proposed ordinance would ban the distribution of single-use plastic bags and place a 10 cent fee on paper bags, which would increase to 15 cents the second year and 25 cents the third year.

Mayor Rob Schroder said the slew of plastic bags swirling on the shoulder of Interstate 680 and caught in the barbed wire fencing along the BART tracks along Highway 4 in eastern Contra Costa County convinced him that a ban is needed.

The council will also discuss a potential ban on polystyrene foam take out food containers.

If the council decides to move forward, the draft ordinances would be brought back in early 2014.

If you live in Martinez and want to attend the meeting, it will be held at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street.